Chest pain and shortness of breath can be caused by angina, anxiety, indigestion, heart attack, or pulmonary embolism. Any chest pain lasting more than a few minutes should be reported to a healthcare professional. Anxiety and indigestion can be treated with relaxation techniques or medication, while angina and heart attack may require medication or surgery. Pulmonary embolism is less common but potentially life-threatening. Any combination of symptoms should be taken seriously.
The most common causes of chest pain and shortness of breath are angina, anxiety or stress, indigestion, heart attack, or pulmonary embolism. Some are more common than others, but each happens often enough to be taken seriously. Whatever the cause, any chest pain, with or without shortness of breath, that lasts more than a few minutes or comes and goes for days to weeks should be reported to a healthcare professional.
Anxiety is a common cause of chest pain and shortness of breath, and is often accompanied by a rapid heartbeat and sometimes a feeling of tightness. This can be caused by any number of things, from stress to an anxiety disorder. Treatment may include relaxation techniques or an antidepressant if symptoms are severe or long-lasting.
Another cause of these symptoms is angina, which is a lack of blood flow to the heart muscle. This can signal an impending heart attack, but the condition can last months or years without change. Symptoms may also include fatigue, dizziness, sweating, nausea, or upper body pain. Angina that is stable and unchanging can be left alone, but medication or surgery may be required in some cases.
Indigestion and other gastrointestinal conditions are often mistaken for heart attacks because they can cause chest pain and shortness of breath that closely mimic that of a more serious condition. Intestinal gas is known to settle in the stomach or chest region, often causing severe pain and cramping. The weight of this gas, or stomach contents in combination with the gas, can cause a feeling of heaviness in the chest and shortness of breath. Symptoms usually subside once the gas has cleared.
A heart attack is the most feared cause of chest pain and shortness of breath, and is the result of a blocked artery leading to the heart. This can be a fatal condition and often requires surgery or medications to clear the plaque from the artery walls. Rehabilitation including a new diet and exercise plan is often recommended to prevent a recurring attack.
Sometimes a pulmonary embolism can cause these symptoms, although this is more common with preexisting conditions and is less likely than the other potential causes. An embolism refers to a blood clot that forms in the lungs. The clot reduces the flow of blood and oxygen to the lungs, resulting in less access to the rest of the body. If this condition is suspected, medical attention is needed because it is potentially life-threatening without proper treatment.
Since most of these conditions are difficult to differentiate from one another without proper testing, any chest pain accompanied by shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, pain in the right arm or neck, fatigue, nausea, vomiting or dizziness should be treated as a medical emergency. Not all symptoms need to be present to indicate a heart attack or other serious condition, so any combination should be taken seriously.
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